While they still have the chance, Senate Democrats are ramping up efforts to trample the First Amendment rights of nonprofits and their donors through the DISCLOSE Act. As RNLA highlighted last week, the DISCLOSE Act would cause many more problems than it solves. A letter submitted to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on Monday by People United for Privacy (PUFP) serves to debunk many of the misleading arguments made by proponents of the legislation during a hearing held by the Committee last week. PUFP's main points are as follows:
1) Support for citizen privacy – and opposition to DISCLOSE Act-style reporting mandates – is robustly bipartisan.
2) The DISCLOSE Act’s unprecedented disclosure mandates would impact all organizations, not only those promoting controversial or minority viewpoints.
3) A healthy First Amendment culture promotes transparency in government but privacy for citizens.
4) Privacy rights guaranteed under the First Amendment don’t disappear at an arbitrary threshold.
Of course, "dark money" alarmists like Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will continue to avoid these realities in an attempt to convince the American people that they should trade their First Amendment rights for more government oversight.
We have a Supreme Court that tramples precedent to deliver policy outcomes for far-right donors.
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) July 24, 2022
We need to fix this broken system and disrupt the Court capture scheme. Getting rid of dark money is a necessary first step, and my DISCLOSE Act would get it done. pic.twitter.com/oKWqkT26gL
The irony of it all is that is the Democrats like Senator Whitehouse are opponents to "dark money" groups in name only. The work of leftist "dark money" groups is alive and well with the support of many of its most ardent "opponents."
PUFP's full letter to the Senate Rules Committee can be read here.